Friday, May 02, 2014

"The noblest of all dogs is the hot-dog; it feeds the hand that bites it." ~ Lawrence J. Peter.

Hot dogs - what's not to like? BBQ'ed, pan fried, cooked over a fire. With ketchup, or sauteed onions. Maybe some cheese?

I can't say we are overly adventurous in our hot dog toppings, which makes it cool to come across a book like Haute Dogs by Russell van Kraayenburg.

This is a fun but serious book all about the lofty dog - after an introduction to the history of the dog, the author moves into the anatomy of the dog and instructions on various cooking methods - more than I would have thought -that go from microwaving to roasting to steaming.

There are more than 40 recipes, many with variations for other delicious creations, and if that wasn't enough - buns and batters, sausages, and condiments and toppings.

We tried the El Completo from Chile:

Scott had his with sauerkraut, I had mine without.

Next was the Columbian Pineapple Dog from Columbia.

This one made me a little nervous - we made a pineapple relish, and salsa golf, then added ketchup, mustard, cheddar, and potato chips. But it was quite delicious.

I also made the Classic Hot Dog Buns

And our final, and favorite of the 3, the Danish Hot Dog - topped with the MOST delicious Remoulade sauce ever.